The tourmaline family consists of at least 14 distinct minerals, but the variety elbaite accounts for nearly all gem-quality tourmaline. It was named as a result of the colored and colorless tourmalines found on the picturesque island of Elba off the western coast of Italy--history buffs know this island as the place where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled in 1814. Although best known in shades of green and red, elbaite can also be blue, purple, yellow, or colorless. Notable varieties of elbaite include rubellite, green tourmaline, indicolite, watermelon tourmaline, Paraiba tourmaline and colorless.

Colors

Green, Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow, Colorless

Elbaite-tourmaline classification

CommonName

Elbaite (Tourmaline)

Species

Elbaite

Variety

Colors

Green, Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow, Colorless

AlternateNames

GemstoneGroups

KeySeparations

appearance, refractive index and high birefringence; then optic figure, pleochroism and specific gravity

ClassificationComments

Dark material might have birefringence as high as 0.040Paraba Tourmaline is a Cuprian Elbaite.Rubellite is the red to pink variety.